The Cost of Keeping You Dry

The Ethics of GORE-TEX

Published in

Design Ethics

7 min readJun 3, 2024

GORE-TEX, produced by W. L. Gore & Associates (Gore), has long been the gold standard for waterproof membranes used by top brands like Patagonia, Arc’teryx, and The North Face. The material distinguishes itself from competitors by providing both waterproofing as well as breathability, a combination that has posed a unique challenge to materials scientists. However, the production of GORE-TEX also involves toxic chemicals that have been linked to human and environmental health concerns, leading both outdoor gear companies and governments to ban or plan to ban the material. Even as Gore works to develop new membranes made of other materials, questions have been raised as to whether their new products were too little, too late.

*A GORE-TEX Jacket, with its signature tag.¹*

A Brief History of GORE-TEX

Early attempts at creating waterproof outerwear severely compromised on breathability, leaving users dry but uncomfortable and sweaty. Some examples included waxed or oiled cotton, or rubberized fabrics. As materials science began moving towards synthetics, nylon was also used for its water repellent properties.² Although nylon is a more breathable material, it is not fully waterproof and does not hold up in extreme weather conditions. Thus, there was a need for a membrane that ranked highly in both breathability and waterproofing.

*A GORE-TEX advertisement from c. 1980 featuring mountaineer John Roskelley.³*

Enter: a new material that could do both. In 1969, Bob Gore accidentally discovered GORE-TEX in a fit of frustration during a series of failed experiments with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), a synthetic polymer that had previously been used as a non-stick sealant. He believed that PTFE had an even wider scope of potential uses if the polymer could be converted into a thread-like fiber. After trying to slowly stretch the PTFE only to have it break in two pieces, Bob yanked a heated rod of PTFE in frustration and found that it had stretched without breaking. This action transformed the PTFE into a different physical state called expanded PTFE and revolutionized the materials science sector.³ Its expanded state means that it is 70% air, allowing it to ventilate air.³ This gives GORE-TEX its unique waterproof, breathable, and windproof qualities.⁴

Judging Gore Through Its Own Virtues

In 2022, Gore released an update highlighting its commitment to improving life and sustainability. When looking at the buzzwords in the report, three words come up again and again: innovation, sustainability, and transparency. So how does Gore live up to the principles that they seemingly want people to associate with them?

I argue that through a virtue ethics approach, which emphasizes the development of moral character as a foundation for right and wrong, we can see how Gore can be praised for innovation throughout its company history. However, even with growing scientific knowledge of the harms of the fabric, Gore allowed for innovation to come at the expense of sustainability and transparency. For Gore to fully live up to the principles that they themselves set as a company, they must improve on their committment to those two virtues.

An outline of Gore’s approach to sustainability.⁵

1. Innovation

Gore is a company that was built on invention in the chemical engineering sector, and its extensive testing process and long-standing reputation in the outdoor industry contributes to a sense of reliability and brand loyalty. All GORE-TEX is still produced in the United States, and all companies that use the fabric must undergo a rigorous testing process before the product earns the GORE-TEX seal.⁶ The three-stage process involves a test of the material and system in the lab, a human performance test, and an in-the-field test with Gore’s athletes and experts.⁷ Olivia Pendas, a leader in the Dartmouth Mountaineering Club and avid climber, backcountry skier, and hiker, describes GORE-TEX as “the industry standard” and notes that “if [she is] looking for a new ski coat, knowing it is GORE-TEX means that [she knows] it will be water-resistant.”

This innovation is now beginning to drive sustainability efforts. Over 80% of their research and development is invested into “innovation projects related to environmental sustainability and sustaining and improving human wellbeing”.⁵ These projects have been crucial to the company’s transition away from forever chemicals; Gore claims that they no longer use PFAS at any point in their production process.⁸

One such project is their development of a new membrane called ePe, or expanded polyethylene. During a meeting with Gore in 2018, the Patagonia team announced their intention to end their partnership if Gore could not manufacture a PFAS-free material by 2022. At the time, Gore did not have anything ready, but one of their product managers threw a Hail Mary as Patagonia was getting ready to leave the meeting: “Wait, there is one thing we’re working on. You know, it’s not really ready yet, but if you guys want to partner with us on this and see if we can make it ready, I guess we’d be willing to do that.”⁹ Gore’s scientific and data-driven method, combined with Patagonia’s access to wear-testing infrastructure for quality assurance, sped up the design process by years.

2. Sustainability

Although the original GORE-TEX material has been shown to be toxic, Gore’s new ePe membrane has been tested to be as effective as ePTFE but less toxic and less carbon-intensive. The new material was successfully released in late 2022 to a limited market; supply chain and product testing adaptations have slowed the full transition to ePe.⁵ Gore plans to have a major rollout of the new material in the fall of 2024, and for all of their consumer fabrics to be ePe by 2025.⁹

This transition to fully replacing their PFAS membranes with their newly created one is impressively quick. However, it is evident that this is less a result of Gore acting ethically, and more that their progress is being driven forward by other companies. For Gore to truly commit themselves to sustainability, they must be a driving force moving the outdoor industry, not a passive responder.

3. Transparency

The same chemicals that make GORE-TEX a miracle product are also classified as pre- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS or forever chemicals.⁷ These chemicals pose a serious concern to human and environmental health: they have been linked to several types of cancer, thyroid disease, ulcerative colitis, and developmental delays, and have contaminated drinking water in communities near manufacturing plants. By design, they do not break down easily, which makes them excellent for durable outerwear, but also makes them persist in landfills once they are thrown away.⁷

Gore was most likely unaware of the environmental and health concerns associated with the chemicals used in their products at the advent of the invention. However, a 2023 class-action lawsuit filed by six people residing near Gore’s Cherry Hill Facility in Elkton, Maryland, claims that Gore has knowingly polluted communities with toxic forever chemicals since the 1990s. The lawsuit points to numerous studies suggesting that Gore’s executives knew about the dangers of PFAS for decades and were aware of illnesses among workers exposed to PFAS. Despite this supposed knowledge, Gore continued to utilize toxic chemicals in production and disperse it into the environment, allegedly dumping large quantities of PFAS-containing wastewater into groundwater.¹⁰

Gore denies the allegations made in the lawsuit and has begun working to test water at the facility and in the community to plan remediation work.¹¹ However, if the allegations are in fact true, this is an overt breach of trust and transparency. Gore had an obligation to further investigate these issues instead of continuing with production for another 20 years.

A Way Forward for Gore, the Outdoor Industry, and Beyond

The outdoor industry represents a unique opportunity to work towards more sustainable textiles, as companies and consumers in this sector are more likely to prioritize sustainability and care about climate. Even if GORE-TEX itself might be only affecting a small subset of people who can afford to invest in it, they can be part of a movement that shifts a broader scope of industries away from PFAS.

State governments and countries are also taking action to ban PFAS. In 2024, 35 states will introduce policies banning PFAS.⁸ Japan has also banned the use of PFOA and PFOS, both of which are PFAS subgroups.¹² These bans will affect not only waterproof jackets and textiles, but also many other common household items that contain these toxic chemicals. International regulatory trends will likely encourage other states and countries to follow suit. As regulations are implemented, industries and companies slow to transition away from PFAS will be compelled to do so, rewarding those who have proactively led the way.

However, as of now, Gore has been following industry trends and pressures, not moving the industry forward by themselves. As Gore continues to push forward with innovation, they must ensure that sustainability and transparency are not compromised and be self-driven towards fulfilling these other two virtues.